Abstract: Papers of Dennis Phillips, a Los Angeles poet who has also worked as poetry editor for the LOS ANGELES WEEKLY and as book
review editor for the literary magazine SULFUR. The accession, covering the years 1971-1992, includes notebooks and typescripts
for all of Phillips's literary production up to 1992. Six of his published books are represented in the accession: FRONTIER
(1980), THE HERO IS NOTHING (1985), A WORLD (1989), MEANS (1991), ARENA (1991), and 20 QUESTIONS (1992). The collection also
includes a small collection of correspondence to Phillips from other contemporary writers and editors. Prominent correspondents
include Donald Allen, George Butterick, Clayton Eshleman, Nate Mackey, and David Trinidad, among others.
The papers are arranged in two series: 1) WRITINGS and 2) CORRESPONDENCE.
The accession processed in 1999 includes personal correspondence dated 1992-1998, and correspondence (1979-1980) relevant
to Phillip's editorial position at the LOS ANGELES WEEKLY. Also included are annotated drafts for BOOK OF HOURS, CREDENCE,
NEW, SAND, and 20 QUESTIONS; drafts of shorter, uncollected writings; and, notebooks (1990-1995). The accession is arranged
in three series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) WRITINGS, and 3) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS.

Repository:
University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.

Dennis Phillips was born in 1951. In 1973 Phillips graduated from the California Institute of the Arts, having earned his
BFA degree. In 1974 he moved to New York, where he undertook a year of study in the Graduate Classics Department at New York
University. In 1979-1980, Phillips taught literature and writing with the Humanities Department at Otis Parsons Art Institute,
and at the same time assumed responsibilities as poetry editor at L.A. WEEKLY. His experience as editor there led to his
becoming book review editor at the important magazine SULFUR. From April 1985 until July 1988, Phillips served as Director
and President of Beyond Baroque, the new writing collective located in Venice, California. Phillips currently holds a position
as senior instructor in the Department of Liberal Arts and Science at the Art College of Design.

Scope and Content of Collection

Accession Processed in 1993

The Dennis Phillips papers contain the many manuscripts and typescripts of Phillips's published and unpublished poetry, as
well as typescripts of a small body of unpublished (or privately published) prose works, plays, and screenplays. There is
a small correspondence collection, containing little biographical material. The collection is organized into two series:
1) WRITINGS and 2) CORRESPONDENCE.

SERIES 1: WRITINGS

The WRITINGS series contains large, well-filled notebooks from which all of Phillips's published poetry is drawn. The editorial
process of selection or elimination is made easy to follow by Phillips's editorial notes on typescript pages copied from handwritten
notebook pages. Because the typescript pages are not dated there is sometimes difficulty placing them. Undated pages are
left in large batches, as first arranged by Dennis Phillips.

SERIES 2: CORRESPONDENCE

The CORRESPONDENCE series is for the most part limited to the professional business of editors and publishers. While the
Phillips correspondence collection is not generally revealing, there are still highly interesting exchanges between Phillips
and the two most influential alternative-tradition editors in Southern California, Leland Hickman and Clayton Eshleman. Some
copies and first drafts provide a record of Phillips's complicated responses and provocations to both of them. There is also
an important letter addressed to Art Aveilhe, publisher, the first professional reader to recognize the value of Phillips's
work. Dated October 1, 1977, this letter offers a synopsis of Phillips's first book, THE FRONTIER, and recounts the frustration
felt by an undeservedly undiscovered writer.

The accession is arranged in three series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) WRITINGS and MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS.

SERIES 1: CORRESPONDENCE

The CORRESPONDENCE series, arranged alphabetically, includes correspondence, bulk dates 1992-1998, relevant to Phillips's
career as a writer and letters related to his editorial position at the LOS ANGELES WEEKLY. Prominent correspondents include
Ray DiPalma, Fanny Howe, Douglas Messerli, and Stephen Redcliffe.

SERIES 2: WRITINGS

The WRITINGS series is arranged in two subseries: A) Poetry and Prose, and B) Notebooks. The Poetry and Prose subseries,
arranged alphabetically, contains annotated drafts of published and unpublished writings, including A BOOK OF HOURS, CREDENCE,
NEW, and SAND. The Notebooks subseries, arranged chronologically, consists of Phillips's bound notebooks (1990-1995) containing
largely verse with notes, jottings and occasional diary entries.

SERIES 3: MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS

The MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS series contains reading announcements, photographs of Phillips and a datebook.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects

Phillips, Dennis -- Archives

American poetry -- 20th century

Contributors

Phillips, Dennis. -- Hero is nothing

Phillips, Dennis. -- Book of hours

Phillips, Dennis. -- Credence

Phillips, Dennis. -- Sand

Phillips, Dennis. -- World

Phillips, Dennis. -- Arena

Phillips, Dennis. -- 20 Questions

Allen, Donald Merriam, 1912- , -- correspondent

Andrews, Bruce, 1948- , -- correspondent

Benson, Steve, 1949- , -- correspondent

Butterick, George F., -- correspondent

Corbett, William, 1942- , -- correspondent

Eshleman, Clayton, -- correspondent

Fraser, Kathleen, 1937- , -- correspondent

Guest, Barbara, -- correspondent

Howe, Fanny, -- correspondent

Howe, Susan, 1937- -- correspondent

Mackey, Nathaniel, 1947- , -- correspondent

Messerli, Douglas, 1947- , -- correspondent

Morrow, Bradford, 1951- , -- correspondent

Palmer, Michael, 1943- , -- correspondent

Scalapino, Leslie, -- correspondent

Silliman, Ronald, 1946- , -- correspondent

Wakoski, Diane, -- correspondent

Waldrop, Rosmarie, -- correspondent

Ross, Joe, 1960- -- correspondent

DiPalma, Ray, -- correspondent

Harryman, Carla, -- correspondent

Collection Contents

Accession Processed in 1993

WRITINGS

Notebooks

box 1, folder 1

Notebook 1

Note

1970, March 17 - 1971, January 25.

box 1, folder 2

Notebook 21971

Note

January 26 - February 6.

box 1, folder 3

Notebook 31971

Note

March 7 - April 20.

box 1, folder 4

Notebook "3.047"1971

Note

April 1 - May 29.

box 1, folder 5

Notebook 41971

Note

May 30 - July 18.

box 1, folder 6

Notebook 51971

Note

July 19 - November 24.

box 1, folder 7

Notebook 6

Note

1971, November 26 - 1972, March 10.

box 2, folder 1

Notebook -- Ritual Object / Desert Sonata, Part 1: The Halls

Note

1972, April 11 - 1973, February 21.

box 2, folder 2

Notebook -- Ritual Object / Desert Sonata, Part 3, Book 11973

Note

February 22 - October 8.

box 2, folder 3

Notebook -- Desert Sonata, Part 3, Book 2

Note

1973, October 9 - 1974, April 11.

box 2, folder 4

Notebook 41974

Note

April 12 - December 24.

box 2, folder 5

Notebook 5

Note

1974, December 26 - 1975, June 20.

box 3, folder 1

Notebook 6 -- Isolated Moments

Note

1975, June 21 - 1976, February 11.

box 3, folder 2

Notebook 71976

Note

February 12 - September 14.

box 3, folder 3

Notebook 81976

Note

September 15 - December 23.

box 3, folder 4

Notebook 9

Note

1976, December 24 - 1977, May 21.

box 3, folder 5

Notebook 101977

Note

May 22 - November 21.

box 4, folder 1

Notebook 11

Note

1977, November 22 - 1978, June 19.

box 4, folder 2

Notebook -- Premonitions of the Fair

Note

1977, May 2 - 1978, April 8.

box 4, folder 3

Notebook 121978

Note

June 21 - December 24.

box 4, folder 4

Notebook 13

Note

1978, December 25 - 1979, April 24.

box 4, folder 5

Notes1979

Note

February 25 - August 29.

box 4, folder 6

Notes, begun February 2, 1979

box 4, folder 7

Notebook 141979

Note

April 25 - September 23.

box 5, folder 1

Notebook 15

Note

1979, September 24 - 1980, April 13.

box 5, folder 2

Notebook 161980

Note

April 14 - November 15.

box 5, folder 3

Notebook 17

Note

1980, November 16 - 1981, April 28.

box 5, folder 4

Notebook

Note

1980, July 30 - 1987, January 18.

box 5, folder 5

Notebook 18

Note

1981, April 29 - 1982, March 7.

box 6, folder 1

Notebook 191982

Note

March 8 - October 29.

box 6, folder 2

Notebook 20

Note

1982, October 30 - 1985, April 30.

box 6, folder 3

Notebook 21

Note

1985, May 1 - 1986, April 29.

box 6, folder 4

Notes

Note

1986, October 14 - 1988, June 8.

box 6, folder 5

Notebook 22

Note

1986, October 14 - 1988, June 8.

box 7, folder 1

Notebook 23

Note

1987, May 1 - 1988, June 10.

box 7, folder 2

Notebook 24

Note

1988, June 11 - 1989, June 25.

box 7, folder 3

Notebook 25

Note

1989, June 26 - 1990, June 13.

box 7, folder 4

Notebook1989

box 7, folder 5

Notebook1990

box 7, folder 6

Notebook1992

box 7, folder 7

Notebook

Note

Undated.

box 7, folder 8

Notes [on loose pages]

Poetry (Books)

box 8, folder 1

Series of Poems

Note

Typescript.

box 8, folder 2

Series of Poems

Note

Typescript.

box 8, folder 3

Ritual [book plan]

Note

Two manuscripts.

box 8, folder 4

23 Phases of the Moon

Note

Typescript.

box 8, folder 5

23 Phases of the Moon

Note

Typescript with notes for video or film production.

box 8, folder 6

Halls -- "Affirmation" [Desert Sonata], Part 3

Note

Typescript.

box 8, folder 7

Halls -- "Affirmation" [Desert Sonata], Part 3

Note

Typescript.

box 9, folder 1

Halls -- "The Halls"

Note

Typescript. See also Notebooks, 1972-1973 (Box 2, folders 1-3).

box 9, folder 2

Halls -- "The Halls"

Note

Typescript.

box 9, folder 3

Isolated Moments, Book 1 -- "A Journal From Sleep"

Note

Typescript.

box 9, folder 4

Isolated Moments, Book 2 -- "A Coast"

Note

Typescript.

box 9, folder 5

Isolated Moments

Note

Typescript. See also Notebook, 1975 (Box 3, folder 1).

box 10, folder 1

Atlas

Note

Typescript.

box 10, folder 2

FRONTIER

Note

First typescript draft.

box 10, folder 3

FRONTIER

Note

Second typescript draft.

box 10, folder 4

FRONTIER

Note

Third typescript draft.

box 11, folder 1

FRONTIER

Note

Fourth typescript draft.

box 11, folder 2

FRONTIER

Note

Fifth typescript draft.

box 11, folder 3

FRONTIER -- From the reading text1978

Note

Typescript.

box 11, folder 4

FRONTIER1979

Note

Part 1, galleys from BACHY 11.

box 11, folder 5

FRONTIER -- "Demeter"

Note

Manuscript and typescript.

box 11, folder 6

FRONTIER -- "Demeter"

Note

Related materials. Includes D. Phillips, "A Structural Analysis of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter"; New York University lecture
notes

box 11, folder 7

FRONTIER -- "Tartarus"

Note

First typescript draft.

box 11, folder 8

FRONTIER -- "Tartarus"

Note

Second typescript draft.

box 11, folder 9

FRONTIER -- "Nine Portraits of the Queen of Persia"

Note

Typescript.

box 11, folder 10

FRONTIER -- Worksheets, outtakes

Note

Typescripts.

box 11, folder 11

FRONTIER [book plan]

box 12, folder 1

TWO CROSS

Note

Typescript.

box 12, folder 2

TWO CROSS

Note

Part 1, first typescript draft.

box 12, folder 3

TWO CROSS

Note

Part 2, first typescript draft.

box 12, folder 4

TWO CROSS

Note

Part 3, first typescript draft.

box 12, folder 5

TWO CROSS

Note

Part 1, second typescript draft.

box 12, folder 6

TWO CROSS

Note

Part 2, second typescript draft.

box 12, folder 7

TWO CROSS

Note

Part 3, second typescript draft.

box 13, folder 1

TWO CROSS

Note

Part 1, third typescript draft.

box 13, folder 2

TWO CROSS

Note

Part 2, third typescript draft.

box 13, folder 3

TWO CROSS

Note

Part 3, third typescript draft.

box 13, folder 4

TWO CROSS

Note

Parts 1 and 2, bound.

box 13, folder 5

TWO CROSS

Note

Part 3, bound.

box 14, folder 1

TWO CROSS

Note

Worksheets and outtakes.

box 14, folder 2

TWO CROSS

Note

Worksheets and outtakes.

box 14, folder 3

TWO CROSS

Note

Worksheets and outtakes.

box 14, folder 4

TWO CROSS

Note

Worksheets and outtakes.

box 14, folder 5

TWO CROSS

Note

Excerpts.

box 14, folder 6

They Elect But Ignore You

Note

[untitled book]

box 15, folder 1

HERO IS NOTHING

Note

Early typescript drafts. Includes "Condition From an Endless Set."

box 15, folder 2

HERO IS NOTHING

Note

Early typescript drafts.

box 15, folder 3

HERO IS NOTHING

Note

Early typescript drafts.

box 15, folder 4

HERO IS NOTHING

Note

Typescript.

box 15, folder 5

HERO IS NOTHING

Note

Typescript.

box 15, folder 6

HERO IS NOTHING

Note

Typescript.

box 15, folder 7

HERO IS NOTHING

Note

Typescript.

box 15, folder 8

HERO IS NOTHING

Note

Typescript.

box 15, folder 9

HERO IS NOTHING

Note

Typescript.

box 15, folder 10

HERO IS NOTHING

Note

Typescript.

box 15, folder 11

HERO IS NOTHING

Note

Proofs.

box 15, folder 12

HERO IS NOTHING

Note

Publication record.

box 16, folder 1

HERO IS NOTHING

Note

Bluelines.

box 16, folder 2

HERO IS NOTHING

Note

Cover art.

box 16, folder 3

HERO IS NOTHING -- Individual poems -- "Air Absent"

Note

Typescript.

box 16, folder 4

HERO IS NOTHING -- Individual poems -- "History as a Moment of Patriarchy"